8 Mental Traits which are Required to Become a Successful Salesman

Mental traits which are required to become a successful salesman are given below:

(1) Alertness,

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(2) Imagination and resourcefulness,

(3) Initiative,

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(4) Ego,

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(5) Observation and memory,

(6) Listening Ability

(7) Self-confidence, and

(8) Cheerfulness.

(1) Alertness

The salesman should be alert, on the look-out and ready to find out ways and means of serving his customer. Alertness on his part will inspire confidence in the customer. An alert salesman can sell more than an indifferent one.

He is the type’s sales managers want because a customer would not be pleased if insulted by an indifferent and careless salesman. Customers do not like to be hurried in selecting their purchases but at the same time they do not want the salesman to be slow in finding the article they desire.

The customer in a hurry is terribly annoyed if made to wait whilst the salesman leisurely looks for the desired article and slowly makes out the cash memo.

Speed can be cultivated as it is largely a mental trait resulting in physically doing work in a specified time. Thus speed required thought as without thought the result would be awkwardness and confusion.

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(2) Imagination and Resourcefulness

Imagination is one of the most important mental attributes which should be developed by a salesman. It is by means of imagination that he can become customer-minded. Very often the customer approaching a salesman has only a vague idea as to what he wants and cannot often express it.

On encountering a salesman with imagination who can visualize the articles required by the customer from this vague idea, such a customer is relieved and also grateful for suggestions and assistance given by such salesman in the selection of the goods.

The resourceful salesman is one who can analyse the situation by alertness and use of common-sense and thereby discover ways in which he can get the customers to do what he wishes them to do. Selling is a process of making people wants to buy.

(3) Initiative

Initiative consists of the ability to work without continuous direction. The salesman must be able to think and decide for himself instead of having to be told everything. He must therefore possess spontaneous resourceful­ness and be self-reliant.

He must be able to make decisions for himself and assist the wavering customer into making his decision by gentle and subtle persuasion by means of questions and suggestions.

(4) Ego Drive

An important quality in good salesman is the ego drive, which makes him want to make the sale. He wants to conquer to enhance his ego. The reason why some experts advocate this quality is that every time a salesman fails to sell, his self-picture diminishes.

He must, therefore, have an ego which is strong enough to withstand such failures. He must ever remain enthusiastic on his job. In this sense, enthusiasm is linked up with the ego drive. An enthusiastic salesman makes the buyer enthusiastic to buy.

(5) Observation and Memory

A person who is a “keen observer” will immediately spot the important or interesting details of a problem, bear them in mind and apply his conclusions with a view to solve the problems concerned.

Therefore the salesman would develop the attribute of keen observation. It is easier to observe something in which one is interested.

It is also difficult to develop into in something one knows little about. Therefore t he salesman must be interested in his work and strive to learn all he can about every phase of his duties. He must be conscientiously observant.

He should develop the ability to see, record and draw logical conclusions from facts by trying to acquire this power of keen observation. He will thereby also increase his knowledge and develop his judgment.

This habit of keen observation can and should be developed. The development should be systematic and according to a definite plan. The salesman must pay close attention to (1) the goods to be sold, (2) the customer and (3) the organization in which he works.

If he is employed in a retail establishment he must be familiar with the merchandise he is required to sell. Many sales are lost because a salesman has neglected this essential.

An alert and observant salesman would be conversant with the details as to the articles stocked in his department as well as in other departments and also with the selling points which may be utilised by him. With the help of this knowledge through observation, he can give expert advice to the customers.

The ability of keen observation can be developed by conscientious efforts following the rules of (1) seeing clearly (2) listening attentively and (3) remembering what has been seen or heard.

Observation and memory are very closely connected as mere ‘ observation without remembering what is observed is useless.

Memory can be developed by an honest attempt to do so. If a person finds it difficult to remember facts, he should form the habit of keeping a notebook for noting them down. Many a person noted for his exceptional memory owes much of his reputation to his regular habit of taking notes.

(6) Listening Ability

Listening is one of the most neglected skills. Very often-one comes across a reaction after one has spoken which clearly indicates that the person has not even heard what was said. This can naturally be annoying to the customer.

The salesman must therefore develop the ability to listen. It will help him to size up the customer and find out the objections in the customer’s mind. The salesman has to be an active listener.

A passive listener merely receives the message and does not take the initiative to react. The salesman must take the initiative to draw out the customer. He has to develop the art of good questioning as questions will draw out the customer. The salesman must listen attentively to the answers.

He must never interrupt the customer whilst the customer is speaking. Over enthusiasm on the part of the salesman can develop such a wrong habit. When the salesman in his presentation feels that he is not getting through to the customer, he should ask questions and listen to the prospect’s answers. Appropriate questioning can bring the prospect back on to the track.

The listening skill can be developed through practice and can ultimately become a good habit in the salesman.

(7) Self-confidence

The salesman should have confidence in himself and in the goods he sells to inspire confidence in his customer in those very goods. Self- confidence spring from knowledge.

As such he should acquire, a thorough knowledge of the goods he is required to sell, or the likely types of customers he may come across and of the persons with whom he will be required to deal.

In addition, a good salesman also communicates confidence. Even though the salesman may be nervous at times, this should not noticed by the customer. The salesman must therefore avoid mannerisms such as fidgeting, tapping, twisting or other meaningless movements. All these communicate a lack of confidence on the part of the salesman himself.

(8) Cheerfulness

Everyone likes to be with a person who is cheerful because it helps him to be cheerful too. Good health, vigour and if possible a rich sense of humour are the ingredients of cheerfulness. Cheerfulness puts the customer at ease and in happy, receptive frame of mind.